Jewel-like male is bright scarlet with a blue tail and yellow underparts. Female is duller, with olive upperparts, yellow underparts, and a grayish head. Also note her pale rump, most easily seen when hovering. Forages actively, often congregating in flowering trees. A species of hill and montane fo
A nondescript warbler with a very small range near the border of Panama and Colombia. Dull brown overall, slightly paler buffy below, with a striped head. Poorly known and infrequently seen. Occurs in pairs or small groups in the understory of humid montane forest. Listen for a high-pitched chatteri
A lively little rufous songbird with a conspicuously long tail that is often cocked and fanned. Upperside is rufous except for darker brown band at end of tail. Head is earth-brown with a rufous brow and a striking white throat. Black chest patch contrasts with buff underparts. Pairs or single birds
Retiring species, almost tailless with very long robust legs. Has a reddish brown-back and white underparts streaked olive-gray. Hops, or occasionally walks very quietly, on the ground of humid forest, normally close to fallen trees in dense undergrowth. Song is a haunting series of low hollow notes
A brightly colored bird with a bright golden belly, a black chest band and head, and a clean white throat. Appears to have a black “shawl” with golden wings and a black tail. Found in most island habitats, though avoids villages. Voice includes a sequence of sparsely spaced, thin, uninspired whistle
A tiny swift with dark plumage except for the off-white underside from the lower breast down. Tail looks square, only sometimes showing a very marginal tail notch. Aerial and gregarious, gathering in flocks over a variety of habitats, both open and forested. Restricted to the western Lesser Sundas,
Brown owl with bright yellow eyes, densely-marked pale underparts, and white-spotted wings. Found only on Timor, where, aside from the very different Barn Owl, it is the only owl; migratory Northern Boobook could turn up on Timor, but has an entirely dark brown back. Inhabits wooded areas in the low
A large chunky bird of foothill and lower montane forest on the Huon Peninsula. It has a longer tail, blacker crown with fewer, finer spots than sister species. Like other catbirds, it is very shy and hard to see. It may overlap altitudinally with Tan-capped Catbird, but Huon Catbird is larger, foun
Small hummingbird mostly confined to Colombia’s central Andes, also reaching the eastern Andes in the southern part of the country. Both sexes have a large, white teardrop behind the eye and pale tips to the tail. Male has a chestnut crown that becomes white where it reaches the bill. Inhabits cloud
A medium-sized, largely pale kingfisher with a pale whitish buffy neck and head, a variable green crown spot, and white underparts. Has a greenish back and more bluish-purple wings. A thin greenish line extends back from the dark eye. Found in forest, coconut plantations, and gardens. Unique within
A large glossy-black starling with a wedge-shaped tail and brick-red windows in the wings that are striking in flight. The male and female have black and gray heads respectively. Pairs and flocks prefer rocky outcrops, cliffs, and gorges, within the savanna zone. Similar to Chestnut-winged Starling,
A large pied shag with a very white head, neck, and shoulders, a bright blue eye-ring, and a large patch of yellow warty skin in front of the eyes. Breeding adult has a wispy crest. Marine, breeding on cliffs and in tussock grassland. No other similar birds occur within its limited range. Loud barki
Similar in size to the Common Buzzard, although possibly more closely-related to Long-legged Buzzard. Unlike Common Buzzard, there is little plumage variation and almost all individuals are a rufous-brown morph. Wing pattern more contrasting with paler primaries and broader black trailing edge. Bree
Large, rather drab hummingbird, green above and light gray below. Note the white spot behind the eye. Occurs at high elevations in deciduous dry forests on outcrops of limestone. Very similar to Gray-breasted Sabrewing, but ranges do not overlap.
A drab flycatcher with brown upperparts, a paler gray underside, and rufous coloration in the tail, rump, and wing. Shows a pale mark between the bill and the eye. Juvenile shows a mottled head and buff wing markings. Found within shady forest understory in lowlands and hills. Confined to Peleng Isl
Large antbird found in lowland and foothill rainforest in the western Amazon basin. Male is black with very fine white barring all over. Female is brown with dense black barring on body; her tail is black with white bars. Both sexes have a crest which is often held flat. Almost identical in plumage
Very small bird of humid tropical forest and edge. Favors vine tangles at mid-upper levels, where moves actively, holding its tail cocked and flopping it from side to side. Appearance is distinctive, with buffy face, very long thin bill, and fairly long tail with white tips. Similar to Long-billed G
Large flightless waterhen endemic to Tasmania. Has a yellow-green bill and a white thigh patch. Typically occurs on grasslands near wetland, but has also become common on farmland.
Generic-looking “white-bellied swiftlet”, but fortunately the only regular one on Christmas Island; migratory House and Pacific Swifts are larger, with bright white rump patches. Note the pale belly, dusky throat, weakly forked tail, and glossy dark upperparts, all traits typical of the genus Colloc
Large dark swift with long sickle-shaped wings and a forked tail, which is often kept closed in a needle-tipped point while in flight. Black overall with an ashy gray throat and a thin white rump. Distinguished from needletails by proportionally longer wings, longer and more slender body, and much l
An attractive Southern Ocean crested and pied cormorant with white wingbars, pinkish feet, orange-buff warty caruncles on the forehead, and a blue eye-ring. Juvenile is duller, lacking facial ornaments. Restricted to a handful of subantarctic islands, where it forages in inshore waters; uncommon res
A medium-sized bird of montane forest and secondary habitat in the Baliem Valley. Typical male “golden” whistler, with yellow belly, black head and breast band, and a white throat. Female has a brown head and breast band with a scaled throat. Co-occurs with the similar Sclater’s Whistler, but Baliem
Small, long-tailed bird with black moustache and rufous-brown upperparts, found only in the Winton-Opalton area of western Queensland, where it is the only expected grasswren. This species is found in habitat with large spinifex clumps, where it scurries around between clumps. Upperparts rufous-brow
Small to medium shearwater that breeds only on Cape Verde islands. Closely related to Audubon's and Barolo Shearwaters. Note the dark head and that the eye does not stand out against pale face as it does in Barolo's Shearwater. Also note the long tail, dark undertail coverts, and underwing
Large, dark-eyed owl restricted to pine and pine-oak forests in western and central Mexico. Apparently rare and local; only known from a handful of sites. Roosts at mid- to upper-levels in large trees, sometimes in fairly open situations. Primarily nocturnal, but can be active at all times of day, e
Endemic to the central highlands of Borneo, this small, fast flier can be difficult to identify in the field where overlap occurs with the more common Plume-toed Swiftlet (formerly a subspecies of Glossy Swiftlet). A typical “white-bellied swiftlet”, with a white belly, dusky throat, and glossy dark
Small, cryptically patterned, yellow-eyed owl of forest in lowlands and foothills, where it tends to stay well hidden in the understory. Occurs on the east slope of the Andes and into the lowlands, as far south as Bolivia and as far east as the Guyanas. Cannot be identified readily by sight, but it
A large swift with long pointed wings and a long, deeply forked tail. It has black upperparts, tail, and wings, with a prominent white rump. Feathers of underparts broadly fringed with dirty white, and throat is whitish. Often difficult or nearly impossible to separate in the field from other simila
Striking tanager of open woodland and scrub in high elevations of the east slope of the Andes in central and southern Bolivia and extreme NW Argentina; including agricultural lands, and open Polylepis woodland. From Black-and-chestnut Warbling-Finch by white throat and paler underparts in Bolivian.
A small bird of lowland forest on the island of Bohol. Has a fairly long and curved bill, yellow underparts, olive upperparts, a metallic green tail, and a reddish eye. Male has purplish blue iridescence on the forehead and cheek, a metallic green wing, and an orange smudge on the upper chest. Femal
A drab, brownish-green bulbul. Face and tail are darker brown, while the vent is rust-colored. The underparts are paler with a tinge of yellow on the throat and belly. Very similar to Olive Bulbul, with which it does not overlap in range, but the Cachar Bulbul is smaller, less rusty on the vent, and
A chunky bird with a notably thick dark bill. Fairly nondescript: olive-brown on the upperparts and paler below. Found at low and middle elevations, in the understory and at middle levels of humid forest. Rich, melodious, variable song consists of whistles and rasping notes, often in an up-and-down
A brightly colored bird with a bright golden belly, a black chest and head, and a clean white throat. Back, wings, and tail olive. Found in most island habitats, including urban gardens. Voice consists of loud whistles, ending in a two-noted whipcrack sound.
Large drongo with a strongly forked tail. Found in forest, usually in the canopy, often on prominent, open perches. Often in pairs. Very similar to Glossy-backed Drongo, but has a less glossy black back that contrasts with the glossy wing, and a more deeply forked tail. Also found in forest rather t
A small, little-known bird of southern lowland and foothill treefall gap regrowth. Underparts and long, thick eyebrow pale blue. Back, wings and tail, brown. Prominent black eye-stripe, moustache stripe and crown stripe. Forages in pairs or small groups in dense undergrowth with rattans or sago. Doe
Small, chunky finch with thick gray bill. Male deep blue-black, female brown, both sexes with white underwings. Mostly found in pairs in the understory of spiny bamboo forest. Song a fast musical warble of four or six notes “pee PEEu pee PEEu peePEEuu.” Similar to Blue-black Grassquit, which is smal
Attractive medium-sized flycatcher with blue upperparts and orange-and-white underparts, with the most orange on the chest and the throat. Male is more intensely-colored overall than the female. Smaller-billed profile, less extensive orange, and paler face distinguish this species from male Hill Blu
Medium-sized bird of forest on Biak Island. Warm brown above, paler below, orange-brown face and rufous flight feathers. Thick black bill and large eye. Previously thought to be a subspecies of Little Shrikethrush, but now placed with the whistlers. No similar species in range. Very skulking and muc
Medium-sized green woodpecker that is similar to Iberian Green Woodpecker. Note the white surrounding the black moustache. Breeds in old growth cedar and oak forests in the high Atlas Mountains. Song is higher-pitched and faster than Iberian Green.
Medium-sized gull with medium-gray upperparts. Breeding plumage shows black head with thick white eye arcs, large white spots on black wingtips, and deep red bill and legs. White underparts are often tinged with pink. Nonbreeding plumage has partial black hood and dark bill and legs. Juveniles have
A dull and poorly marked prinia with a strong bill and a long, graduated tail. Light brown above with faint dark streaking. Pale below, sometimes with some dark smudging along the sides of the breast. In some areas, breeding males become darker on the face and the bill becomes black. Found at low an
A sparrow-sized dark warbler with an often scruffy-looking, graduated tail. Has dark chestnut-brown upperparts, a whitish eyebrow, a distinct white throat, and dull grayish underparts. Formerly grouped with Buru Bush Warbler and Seram Bush Warbler under the name “Chestnut-backed Bush Warbler.” A sec
Extinct, last reported in 1900.
Only in Mexico. Fairly common small hummingbird of dry coastal scrub in northern Yucatan Peninsula; also very local in dry scrub of central Veracruz. Favors fairly open areas with low scrubby bushes and agave plants. Note the long and slightly arched bill and the long tail, which is usually held clo
A big, powerful goshawk. Adults are gray on the back with fine gray barring below; females much larger. Immatures have a brown back and thick streaks below. Endemic to Madagascar, where it is a scarce resident of all types of primary forest. Rarely sits in the open, and only occasionally soars. Terr
Like a mix between Gray-crowned and Olive-crowned Yellowthroats, this species combines a full black mask with a gray crown. Underparts are entirely yellow, back is olive. Female is similar to other yellowthroats but note her grayish cheeks and lack of contrastingly dark lores. Found singly or in pai
Extinct, last reported in 1969.
A rather dull-plumaged songbird of fields, grasslands, forest edges, and farmland, mostly at moderate and high elevations. Often sparsely distributed and difficult to find. Gray-brown above with a pale belly and blackish streaking on head and wings. Breeding males become black-billed and darker on t
Extinct, last reported in 1876. Formerly west central Himalayas.
Shy inhabitant of thickets and dense grassy areas from subalpine scrub to above treeline. Male is gunmetal gray with a white brow, bright orange throat, and a black patch extending from the face down to the breast. Very similar to the closely related Chinese Rubythroat, which has a white moustachial
Tiny, stumpy bird of dense undergrowth. Male is dark slate-blue with broad white eyebrows that give him the appearance of a furious little old man. Female is warm pale brown all over. In areas of overlap with Chinese and Lesser Shortwings, look out for the all-dark lower belly, which is white in tho
A hulking game bird of rocky mountain slopes and cliffsides. Native to the Himalayas and adjacent mountain ranges, but has also been introduced in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. Gray overall with patchy brown streaking on the breast and two dark brown lines running down the neck. Can be somewhat tame
An inhabitant of moist montane woodlands including coffee plantations. The long-tailed male is distinctively entirely iridescent green and the base of the bill is red. The female is metallic green above, dingy white below, and has a relatively long, forked tail. The Antillean Mango is shorter tailed
Gray-brown swiftlet with a pale gray rump and a squared-off tail. The westernmost ranging species in the genus and the only member throughout much of its range. Smaller than most other swifts in range except for House Swift, which is black overall with a sharp white rump and throat. Tends to travel
A gregarious species of montane pine forests. This species can be deceptively hard to find when not calling, despite its bright colors and tendency to travel in flocks of up to twenty. Note that the namesake crossed bill can be hard to see. Males are clothed in red and bear bright white wingbars. Th
A fairly large, common raptor of forest and more open wooded areas from the lowlands to the lower mountains. Dark brown with white speckles on the crown and upperparts, rufous-brown below with large white spots. Note the gray cheek and yellow eye. Differs from other raptors in its range by its bare
A relatively large woodpecker with a black back, a white patch on the shoulders, and white spots on the flight feathers. A distinctive black stripe runs around the ears to the base of the bill. The top of the male’s head is red, while the female’s is black. Usually solitary or in pairs, searching fo
A medium-sized brownish owl of montane forests, generally uncommon. Brownish overall with finely patterned underparts. Deep black eyes bracketed by bright white arcs impart a learned, severe expression. Asian counterpart to Europe's Tawny Owl. Calls loudly and slowly, a repeated pair of hoots.
Long-tailed, dark songbird. Adults glossy blackish with strong metallic green-blue sheen above in good light, bright red eye. Immatures dark above, pale with short, dark streaks below. Nest in large colonies, typically seen in very large flocks that fly fast and low. Spangled Drongo somewhat similar
An impressive long-tailed species of wooded habitats including shade coffee plantations. Typically found foraging in dense vegetation from understory to canopy; can be found sunning in the open at first light with its tail spread. Note this species long straight narrow bill, brilliant red eyering, g